The world of marketing is never without its jargon and buzzwords. For the past five years, you might have heard the term “sales funnel” tossed around. It may sound technical, but it is simply the path that businesses guide customers through to get to a sale. Each part of the funnel is filled with touchpoints that move customers deeper into the “funnel.” Typically, there are four parts of the process: awareness, interest, decision, and action. The goal for your dealership marketing team is getting customers from awareness to action. Understanding how a sales funnel works allows you to develop a strategy to increase your sales. How can your team develop a dealership marketing sales funnel, and actively guide customers through it? Below are some steps you can begin taking today.
Start with Engaging Content
You need to have an entry point, a symbolic front door to your funnel that customers can go through to get to know you. This situation represents the awareness stage, and the best way to get customers invested in you is by creating engaging content that gains their interest. A recent study by Dragon Search Marketing found that 61 percent of consumer’s buying decision is influenced by custom content. Content is key for reaching your audience and influencing them to make a purchase. 
For example, you need to think about the kind of first impression you want to make on your audience. This impression should be offering customers value of some sort. Take time to see what their needs are and the content in your niche that is doing well. Is there a significant demand for informative videos about car care, or is your audience looking for guidance on how to pick the right vehicle? Look at what is popular using social media and market research and uniquely make it your own.
Get Your Messaging Out There
Your customers cannot go through the door of awareness if they don’t see it. So, you have to increase your reach. There are a variety of ways you can do this, but here are the three you should focus on:
- SEO – Conduct keyword research to find long-tail keywords that are in demand. Use these keywords in your blog and website content so you can rank for relevant terms. The higher you rank on search engines, the easier it will be for customers to find you.
- Google Business Listings and Ads – Google is going to be your friend here. Be sure to use their Google My Business feature to list your business. You can pin your location on Google maps, have customers use their “click to call” feature, and include deals and incentives on your listing. Seven out of ten individuals who use voice and local search end up visiting businesses within five miles of them. Therefore, it is important to ensure you are listed. Also, don’t forget about Google Ads. Using remarketing, they can put your website in front of those already familiar with your brand.
- Social media – You don’t have to be on all of them, but it would help to focus on at least two. So, start posting regularly, engage with customers, and build a following. These steps will help you get seen and as well as boost your SEO.
These are tips you can use throughout the sales funnel experience to boost your messaging.
Recognize the Content that Goes Best with Each Funnel Component
The dealership and vehicle shopping experience are made up of touchpoints. These touchpoints should correspond to various parts of your dealership marketing sales funnel. For example, awareness content is going to look at lot different than content you are using to help them make a decision. Awareness content could be your Google My Business listing, while a test drive will likely take them from a decision to action. Take time to understand the types of content that will drive your customers forward in the dealership sales funnel marketing experience.
Test, Test, and Test Some More
As your audience evolves, your sales funnel should follow suit. Each touchpoint should change along with your audience’s preferences. For example, over a decade ago, mobile wouldn’t have been a concern for most dealers. Today, you cannot have a working sales funnel without a responsive mobile website. So, take the time to experiment. Conduct A/B testing and test out various types of calls-to-action. Change button types, add new colors, switch out messaging, and even test content. Your goal is to find what works, and experimentation is going to be key to your dealership sales funnel marketing success.
Your Dealership Sales Funnel is Key to Your Sales
Yes, walk-ins will likely always be there, but how customers are finding out about what you do is changing. No longer are billboards and television commercials the only tools at your disposal. More and more customers are starting the search for a car online. That reason is why a digital sales funnel that has relevant content at each touchpoint is crucial. A solid dealership sales funnel can lift sales and give you a constant stream of customer engagement.
